A south Wales grandad who has worked alongside the Royal Family for more than 30 years has written a book about its most famous member, the Queen.

As Her Majesty prepares to celebrate her 80th birthday tomorrow, Brian Hoey, 72, reveals the intimate details of her day-to-day life as never seen before.

A former pupil of St Illtyd College, Cardiff, Mr Hoey has had the chance to see what many never will - behind the scenes in the royal household.

His book, Life With The Queen, reveals the private life behind the public image - from the monarch's famous outfits and state dinners to her daily newspapers, which are ironed before she and Prince Philip read them.

Mr Hoey, who lives in Trerhyngyll, near Cowbridge, has met the Queen on several occasions throughout her life.

He said: 'The Queen has a wonderful ability to make you feel like when she's talking to you, you are the only person in the world.

'I think she sees her role as being someone who is detached from us, she has a sense of English reserve.

'She is the most famous person in the world and arguably the most private. Nobody has ever heard her voice her opinion.'

Mr Hoey describes his career change from a journalist in Cardiff in the 1960s to a royal biographer as 'lucky'.

He said: 'I worked for the BBC in Cardiff for 30 years after I left the RAF. I was the first presenter of Wales Today back in 1962. Before then I used to do a news programme with Michael Aspel, then Michael moved to London and I took over.

'When I was working in Cardiff they used to send me to London on weekends. One weekend I was there when Princess Anne won the European three-day event championship and she did her first ever TV interview with me - that was in 1971.

'The interview seemed to go quite well, then a few years later when she got engaged I interviewed her again.

'I was then asked to write a biography of Princess Anne.

'I had never written a book before and I wrote it on a portable typewriter my wife got me from Boots for £14. I still have it but I don't use it any more.'

From these accidental beginnings Mr Hoey, who has three grown-up children and five grandchildren, has gone on to write 20 books on maritime and royal history and has interviewed many of the top Royals, including Princess Diana, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Queen.

Mr Hoey added: 'I just got lucky being in the right place at the right time.'

But despite keeping very exclusive company for a large part of his life Mr Hoey has never been tempted by the bright lights of royal life.

He said: 'I'm a Cardiff boy born and bred.'

Life With The Queen by Brian Hoey is available in bookshops priced £18.99.